7 Months Old!

Kaiden is now seven months old! Here is a list of the things he knows how to do now.

- Kaiden eats a fruit puree during lunch time and a veggie puree for dinner.
- He nurses about five to six times a day now. When he wakes up around 6 or 7, then at 9, then at 11:30, at 5:30, 7:30 and 3 am.
-He gets two bottles of A.R. formula, one at 3pm and one before bedtime around 8.
-He still loves to jump.
-He rolls both ways easily
-He sits up on his own for extended period of times
-He "falls" over gracefully when he doesn't want to sit anymore.
-He scoots across the floor on his back
-He pivots full circle on his tummy
-He moves from a sitting position to his hands and knees for about a half second before falling on his face.
-He can freely pass objects from one hand to the next
-He grabs objects that are too big with both hands
-He reaches for things he is interested in
-He gives kisses and hugs
-He sings...loudly.
-He dances enthusiastically
-He falls asleep on his own for naptime and bedtime. No rocking, etc..
-He loves music
-His favorite toy right now is probably his vtech nursery rhyme book and his blinking chickies
-He likes to stick out his tongue
-He spits
-He makes raspberries
-He likes to watch people's mouths when they talk
-He likes to drink out of a big boy cup (just sips)
-He wants to eat when everyone else is eating
-He wants only mommy at night time
-He doesn't like being left alone for too long, but is getting better with it
-He loves looking out our deck window and watching the trees or the rain
-He loves to go on walks
-He loves the wind


As you can see, a lot happens in a month! I think he'll be mobile sooner than I know it, and we've been preparing with baby gates and babyproofing little by little. We just moved houses, so it's easy to set things up with childproofing in mind.

I am also happy that I made it to seven months with breastfeeding. I have been encouraging other mothers who are having a hard time nursing by telling them my story. We even got to go back to a mothers group meeting, and my LCs were there and were very impressed at Kaiden's progress. He is fat and happy, just as they like. :)

This picture is from the second half of being six months old. My phone died, so you'll have to stay tuned for a seven month old picture. :)

An Open Thank You Letter to My Body

Dear Body,

Last year, I wrote you an apology letter. 

Last October, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy. We struggled through an intense labor, and I threw my ideas of a natural birth out the window, and when my baby boy was put into my arms, I didn't feel the least bit like I failed. I didn't have the guilt other women told me about, the guilt about wanting a natural birth and ended up in an induced labor that lead to an unplanned c-section.

Tonight, after feeding Kaiden in the rocking chair, he rolled over in my arms, flat on his tummy, stuck his thumb in his mouth and fell asleep. My eyes filled with tears, and I sat there and rocked with him in the silence, listening to his little breaths as they brushed against my arm. I have moments like these all the time, when I feel frustrated, exhausted and scared...but these moments? The moments when Kaiden is still and happy and content? Those are the moments that remind me that everything I've been through to get him was well worth it.

So, Body, I am thanking you. The struggle was hard, and I wanted to quit many times, but if I didn't have the struggle, I wouldn't have my Kaiden. I don't know what will happen moving forward...I don't know if I'll struggle again in the future...but I do know that I am grateful for what I have now, and I wouldn't ever have it any other way.

Love,
Stephanie

6 month stats

My baby had his checkup today. He's now 16.5 lbs and 27 inches long with a head circumference of 43.5 cm. He's in the 30th percentile for weight and 60th percentile for height and 58th percentile for head circumference. He's gonna be a string bean.